System & method for compositing of real and virtual images in a cinematographic puppetry production

Abstract

An improved cinematographic system for creation of a film and / or video productions wherein the action figures are puppets controlled by rods, manipulated by puppeteers, on a virtual production set. In the system and method of this invention, one or more production set props are positioned within the studio set between the puppeteers and the puppet. In order to avoid puppeteer cross of the set props while manipulation of the puppet, one or more real production set props, or components of real production set props, are key-colored to a background screen of the virtual production set, and thereby initially eliminated from the cinematographic reproduction of the real / action images of the action figures on the set. Thereafter, the real / action image is composited with at least one virtual image (virtual image of the production set prop and a virtual image of a background scene of the real / action image) to complete the cinematographic composition.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of copending Utility patent application, entitled AN IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCED PUPPETRY OR SIMILAR TYPES OF PERFORMANCES UTILIZING A VIRTUAL SET, Ser. No. 09 / 531,528, filed on Mar. 29, 1999, which claims priority to Provisional Patent Application, entitled CGI Enhanced Puppetry Ser. No. 60 / 187,814, filed on Mar. 8, 2000.[0002] 1. Field of the Invention[0003] This invention relates to a system and method for compositing, within a virtual environment, (a) an image frame, or image sequence of a real image, of an action sequence of a puppet and / or prop, within a virtual production set, with (b) a virtual image of a production set prop, or a component of a production set prop. The method further includes manipulating such real and virtual images so as to avoid a puppeteer cross of a production set prop set image during puppeteer manipulation of an action figure against a solid key-colored background; and, to a composite c...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0026] In one of the preferred embodiments of this invention, a realistic action image of a puppet is filmed on a virtual studio set with real production set props, wherein one or more real production set props, or a component of one of more real set props, is key-colored to the color of the puppeteer and to the background screen of the virtual studio, so as to blend the key-colored prop into a background screen of the virtual studio set. The resultant action image is, thereafter, composited with a virtual image of the key-colored set prop, or the key-colored component of the set prop. The original filming of the action image with key-colored props permits the puppeteer to manipulate the puppet without restriction by props which may be positioned between the puppeteer and puppet, and thereby eliminates puppeteer cross of the intervening prop. The restoration of the key-colored prop within the real / action image is effected by compositing the real / action image of the film scene / sequence with a virtual image of the key-colored set prop. The virtual image of the key-colored production set prop may be restored to the action image by compositing independently of other virtual images, or as a component of another virtual image.

[0028] In another of the preferred embodiments of this invention, the compositing of the image of real / action scene with the virtual image of the key-colored set prop is performed in real-time, and thereby permits the puppeteer to more precisely control the puppet's action relative to the key-colored prop; and, further permits more effective on-the-fly changes by the film director.

Problems solved by technology

Since three or four people handle the different parts of the puppet, life-like motion cannot be achieved without precision timing among the manipulators.

As a result, film producers frequently view the end product and require changes to either the foreground or background portions, requiring that the entire sequence be "reshot".

Furthermore, because the process is post rendered in real-time, it is difficult to perform actual interaction between a moving puppet, for example, and the puppet's environment.

The potential cross of another puppet or production set prop is particularly problematic where another puppet or prop is positioned between the puppeteer and his puppet.

Such staging restrictions not only create special problems in staging of a scene, but also, in a number of instances, preclude puppeteers for imparting life-like action to the puppet.

Images